The University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team ended its road play this afternoon in Aberdeen, S.D. with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games against Northern State University. The Bulldogs (16-25; 12-17 NSIC) were swept on the day, dropping game one by a score of 5-2, and the second 8-6.
UMD finished the 2018 season with a 3-8 record on the road.
The Bulldogs' bats were quiet in game one, with two of their four hits coming in the first inning which led to a quick 2-0 lead. After a two-run first, NSU allowed just two runners to reach second base, but no farther. RHP Thomas Sertic struck out six Bulldogs while allowing just two runs on four hits in his first complete game of the season. Â
Freshman Wyatt O'Bey provided two scoreless innings of relief. O'Bey struck out three Wolves, and now has 3.2 straight scoreless innings after allowing 10 earned runs in his first six innings to start the season.
In game two, the comeback fell short for UMD as it was swept on the day after a 8-6Â loss. With two on, two outs and up two, reliever Brock Ragatz induced a 5-3 groundout to end the game. Relievers Jaylen Hakes and Adam Hallberg combined for 1.2 scoreless innings, and didn't allow a hit or walk.
Sophomore outfielder Cory Krolikowski was the only Bulldog to have a multi-hit game - both singles - by going 2-for-4 at the plate with a walk.
The six errors in game two was the second most on the season.
UMD has now won just three of its last 15 games. In that span, the Bulldogs have garnered more than five runs in a game on just three occasions.
UMD will finish its regular season with a pair of bouts against the University of Minnesota Crookston. Golden Eagles' Reed Hjelle leads the NSIC with a .432 batting average, and in home runs with nine.
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